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Jan 15, 2014britprincess1 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
I love Zoe Bell in this film, but poor Mary Elizabeth Winstead! Truly, this film plays out like a cheap flick, slapped together in a hurry to be a drive-in double feature. It seems like a seventies B-movie with scratch lines running through it and conveniently placed missing reels. And that's just fine, because that is exactly what Tarantino intended it to be. Now, that being said, I would not say this is even close to Tarantino's best. But for what it is -- cheesy, fun, a little bit quirky, and, of course, chock-a-block full of that special brand of off-the-wall Tarantino-esque violence -- I enjoy it. I purchased the non-director's cut Blu-ray double feature, including both Tarantino's DEATH PROOF and Robert Rodriguez's PLANET TERROR, but I would recommend that these films be seen with the director's cut. The film is more complete that way, but again, still flawed. DEATH PROOF itself is a bit of a slow burn, all leading up to an intense final scene that lasts about fifteen minutes. Everything else before it -- the chit-chat in the car and in the bar and in the cafe -- is all just lead-up. For some, they just don't have the patience and will quit this film before Sidney Poitier's daughter recites her silly little poem (about 10 minutes in, FYI). However, for those who can wait, that final scene is worth it. It's necessary to have that burn to appreciate the fire it produces at the end. Again, Zoe (the Kiwi stuntwoman who worked as Lucy Lawless's double for XENA: THE WARRIOR PRINCESS, and then as Uma Thurman's double for Tarantino's very own KILL BILL) was delightful. It's a shame she hasn't had more roles since; I enjoyed her bubbly daredevil personality and I'm sure it could be used to the advantage of many a Hollywood director. In conclusion, I'm convinced that DEATH PROOF is a fifty-fifty film: you will love it or you will hate it and shut it off nearly instantly. For me, though, it's delightful, a glee-inducing revenge fantasy that takes schadenfreude to the next level. For that, I'll recommend it.